Mobility and Rhythm
How can rhythm be used as a methodological approach when
learning mobility skills
Espen Hektoen
Adviser,
Department of Visual Impairment,
Statped midt
Allow me to introduce myself…
A story told by a good colleague…
♪ A young woman with severe visual impairment who
suddenly learned that there are several ways to walk –
and to move.
♪ Walk like a cowboy or mannequin or…
♪ Embody emotions
♪ When she learned this– she had an almost physical
reaction to the experience.
♪ Mobility and orientation – but does every part of the
learning process have to be specifically about the route?
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Music and Rhythm
♪ This young woman was also a musician.
♪ We are all musical from birth.
♫ “I can`t retire from music any more than I can retire from my liver.
You`d have to remove the music from me surgically – like you were
taking out my appendix” – Ray Charles
♪ But we all have different rhythms.
♪ The similiarities between a mobility route and a song
structure.
♪ Rhythm and tempo have been mentioned in literature
before, but not studied thourougly.
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Timing is Everything?
♪ What do we know that we can observe when a child masters
his or hers mobility route:
♫ A relief in cognition and increased safety and comfort.
♫ Increased geographical understanding.
♫ Increased mood and initiative.
♫ The tempo increases (rhythm).
♫ A feeling of flow.
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If it ain`t Got That Swing…
♪ What if a child knows his or her route well, but still lacks
that rhythmic flow?
♪ Flow: A feeling we often relate to musical experiences.
♪ Music is defined by rhythm.
♪ Why not use the means of music to get a more direct line into
that experience?
♪ Empowerment: Using childrens natural interest in music.
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M&O techniques and the Help of Rhythm
♪ Thoughts on where to begin:
♪ Parallel and vertical starting positions for orientation.
♫ Start out right, 1, 2, 3, 4…
♫ When crossing an open field
♪ When escorting a child either freely or by hand a defined
rhythm (adjusted to the child) may ease the transport.
♪ Walking stairs naturally imply the use of rhythm.
♪ The pendulum cane technique and its relation to rhythm.
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The Cane and the Drum stick?
♪ Studies have shown that children 2-3 years of age
can learn to use the cane functionally despite
cognitive and other types of challenges.
♪ The use of a cane can help the child to more easily
embody the rhythm.
♪ E-G: My own experience when training with a
blindfold. Even though my walking pace decreased
the cane continued in the same even strokes.
Rhythm?
♪ A functioning rhythm when using the cane can free
up cognition towards ones environment and free up
energy for obstable perception.
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Play, Crawl, Walk?
♪ Musical activity can help with:
♪ Co-ordinating body movements while processing auditive
information.
♪ Being able to respond adequately to the things happening
in ones immediate sorroundings.
♪ To promote joint attention.
♪ Experience with different rhythms in different tempos.
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Musical ACTIVITY – can it enchance Mobility skills?
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Develop understanding of where sound comes from and
how it changes?
Increase listening (auditive discrimination) skills. Tone, pitch
and rhythm?
Reinforce and emphasize self-discipline and self-control?
Increase gross and fine motor skills and helps to develop
muscle tone in the hands and arms?
Develop a sense of beat and rhythm?
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Play with M&O
♪ Introduce instruments with hand-under-hand assistance.
♪ Place preferred instruments in close proximity to the
children.
♪ Placing the instruments in different locations.
♪ Egocentrical understanding of left and right, crossing the
midline, reaching over their head, and increasing the
range of motion.
♪ Mobility can not risk feeling boring and tedious.
Remember to play.
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Mobility and Play I
♪ The obvious example: Play an instrument.
♪ Being seated behind a drum set provides a safe method
for exploration!
♪ Musical activity with others can help you define one or
different rhythms.
♫ Music is a great GROUP activity, but be aware that it
is NOT TOO LOUD.
♪ Rhythmic music can be used in defined situations
throughout the day.
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Mobility and Play II
♪ Activity 1: «Tap That Rhythm»: The child can play
with e-g. the cane along to the rhythm(s).
♪ Activity 2: «Walk the Rhythm»: Play a song before
walking in that same rhythm to the e.g. kitchen.
♪ Activity 3: «Move Like You Are A…»: Motorcycle
driver? Mannequin? Cowboy? Police officer? Clock?
Etc.
♪ Activity 4: «Embody emotions»: Walk like you`re
angry, sad, confident…Etc.
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Critique
♪ A focus on the wrong things may lead the child to a sense
of defeat.
♪ An overt focus on rhythm may lead the childs focus
inwards.
♪ Keyword: PLAY!
♪ Even though many children love music, some simply may
not.
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Summary
♪ There is more to movement than simply
walking
♪ We all have (different) rhythm – so why not
use it?
♪ Music is a ready tool to be used.
♪ Better flow paves way for better orientation.
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References
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…And further reading:
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Arter, C. and Hill, D.L. (1999). Listening in: Music for Students with a Visual Impairment. The British Journal of
Visual Impairment, 1999 17:2.
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Coleman, J. (2017). Practice perspective – The use of Music to Promotoe Purposeful Movement in Children with
Visual Impairments (article). AFB Journal of Visual Impairments & Blindness. January-February, 2017. Vol 111. Print
ed pg nr 73-77
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Jeremiassen, R.E.H. (20139. Å se ved bevegelse – Observasjoner av sansemotorisk utvikling og funksjon hos
blinde barn i førskolealder. Statped: NTNU-trykk.
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Kaiser, A. The Importance of Music and Movement (article).
http://www.niu.edu/ccc/resources/importanceofmusicandmovement.pdf
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Metell, M. (2015). «A great moment…because of the music»: An exploratory study on music therapy and early
interaction with children with visual impairment and their sighted caregivers (research article). The British Journal of
Visual Impairment, 2015, Vol 33(2) pg 111-125.
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Pring, L. and Ockelford, A. (2005). Children with septo-optic dysplasia – musical interests, abilities and provision:
the results of a parental survey. The British Journal of Visual Impairment, 2015. Vol 23. Nr 2.
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Storliløkken, M., Martinsen, H., Tellevik, J.M., and Elmerskog, B. (2012). Mobilitetsopplæring. Trondheim: Tapir
akademisk forlag
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It`s a wrap!
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